Teaching, Learning & Early Education
  
Social Partnerships in Learning

Teaching imageWelcome to the Teaching, Learning & Early Education group

The Teaching, Learning and Early Education group focuses on strengthening engagement in teaching and learning, transforming educational contexts for effective teaching and learning, supporting and empowering learners, educators, families, and other stakeholders, and sharing perspectives on teaching and learning to inform policy and practice.

 

  

Artwork Welcome to the Social Partnerships in Learning Research Consortium

The Social Partnerships in Learning (SPiL) research consortium was established in 2007 to support and research the interagency and interdisciplinary relationships that enable effective learning in different disciplines, workplaces and training sites. SPiL is based at the Charles Darwin University.

 

Dr Paul Black

 

Course Coordinator

Co-ordinator  M/ Applied Linguistics

Post Grad qualifications

MPhil and PhD (Yale)
GDip TESL (Darwin Institute of Technology)
GCert Tertiary Teaching (NT University)

CDU approved PhD supervisor

areas relating to language, linguistics and language education

Research interests

Australian Indigenous languages
Comparative linguistics
approaches to language teaching

Current research

How Mandarin Chinese is spoken in Darwin; Lexicostatistical evidence for the classification of Australian languages

Community engagement

Chair, NT Regional Advisory Committee of the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters (NAATI), defacto convernor of the Top End Linguistic Circle (TELC).

 

Dr Lorraine Connell

 

Course Coordinator

Bachelor of Teaching and Learning (Inservice)

Post Grad qualifications

M.Ed – (Uni of Tas)
D.Ed – (NTU)

Research interests

The arts and teaching

Community engagement

Strong Foundations, Ausdance member, ASME member, DEC board member, Unisuper board member, CDU council member.

 

Associate Professor Brian Devlin

 

Recent invitations

Visiting Professor and first holder of the Dr R Marika Chair of Australian and Indigenous Studies, Cologne University, Germany (October 2009-February 2010)
Appointed 'expert of international standing' by the Australian Research Council (ARC) College of Experts in 2008

Post Grad qualifications

MEd and EdD (Columbia)
Dip Ed in Developing Countries (CCAE)

CDU approved PhD supervisor

Areas relating to language, applied linguistics and language education

Research interests

The use of vernacular languages in educational programs
Interactive distance e-learning for isolated communities
Bilingual education policy in the NT

Current research

Literacy frameworks for students with English as an additional language

Community engagement

Former Chair, Education Advisory Council (NT)
Member, Leanyer Primary School Community Consultative Group

 

Nancy Devlin

 

Post Grad qualifications

Master in Educational Studies (NTU)
Grad Cert in Gifted Ed (UNSW)

Research interests

Inclusive Education, Spec. Ed., Gifted Ed,, Support in the classroom, Indigenous Ed

Community engagement

National Secretary Aust. Assoc. of Ed. for the Gifted and Talented, NT Director/rep AAEGT, NTAEGT exec. com. Not sure if this is relevant but I was a Churchill Fellow in 2000 and my work was in creating supportive environments for students with special educational needs including giftedness. It was in mainstream and Indigenous communities in the US and Canada.

Belinda Downey

 

Post Grad qualifications

Currently enrolled in PHD

Research interests

EC, social justice, gender

Current research

PhD - My research critically explores the constructed knowledge of early childhood education and care [ECEC] practitioners in the Northern Territory. I am particularly interested in the role gender and culture plays in the construction of the early childhood education and care sector and the profession.

Community engagement

Strong Foundations Pilot Project

Professor Ian Falk

 

Post Grad qualifications and university obtained from

MEd in Sociology of Adult Learning and Literacy (James Cook University)
PhD in Sociology of Adult Learning and Literacy (Griffith University)

Are you CDU approved to supervise PhD students and in what areas

Yes

Research interests

Sociology and rural sociology
Regional and community development, community capacity building
Social capital
Change Management
Adult learning, learning communities
Policy processes and relationship with research
Leadership
Literacy (adult from socio-cultural perspective)  

Current research

Australian / Indonesian community-based management systems for biosecurity incursions, funded by CRC NPB Ltd.

Community engagement

Developed network of academics and community development personnel, NGOs and government through Indonesia using Australian Indonesian Biosecurity Community Management Research Consortium, funded by CRC NPB Ltd

Dr Gretchen Geng

 

Post Grad qualifications and university obtained from

PhD (University of South Australia)       

Are you CDU approved to supervise PhD students and in what areas

Yes     

Research interests

Technology-assisted teaching and learning
language and culture    

Current research

 Various research projects                    

Community engagement

Developing School's online community

 

Saraswathi Griffiths-Chandran

 

Post Grad qualifications

QUT Masters of Teaching Early Childhood
QUT Masters of Education Tesol

Research interests

Early Childhood
Well-being in the early years
Leadership and change
Literacy
Indigenous perspectives

Current research

Working with Dr Gretchen Geng - What is Aboriginal Children’s understanding of a healthy lifestyle.

Community engagement

Strong Foundations
Literacy in the early years of school – conversations for Learnline
Early Childhood Networks NT
SNAICC
News Recipient: COGSO, ACSSO, SNAICC, CEANT, NTCOSS, ARACY, ECA, RCA.

 

Dr Janet Helmer

 

Post Grad qualifications

Ph.D. (University of Minnesota)       

Research interests

Literacy
professional development    

Current research

ABRACADABRA: Literacy through Technology         

 

Debbie Prescott

 

Post Grad qualifications

MEd (TESOL specialisation) (University of New England)

Research interests

Teaching in Indigenous contexts; importance of talk in learning

Current research

As above

Community engagement

Growing Our Own

 

Lorna Quinnell

 

Post Grad qualifications

Honours/Masters (University of Witwatersrand)  

Research interests

Language of Mathematics

Current research

PhD in Language of Mathematics

 

Dr Greg Shaw

 

Course Coordinator

Master of Education, Graduate Certificate in Education, Graduate Certificate in Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, Education HDR programmes              

Post Grad qualifications

Med (Deakin) Grad Cert in Online Teaching (London University)
PhD (Deakin))        

Are you CDU approved to supervise PhD students and in what areas

Yes; registered as principal supervisor for PhD candidates               

Research interests

ICT in Education
Rural Education and Education in Developing Contexts Adult, Education
TVET Teacher Education
Blended Learning
Adult Teaching and Learning
Open and Distance Teaching and Learning
Teaching and Program Evaluation
Science
Agriculture
Extension Education   

Current research

1. Teacher Education Staff use of a Learning Management System: Single researcher.

2. Skills Training for Rural Transformation: Part of a team looking at skill teaching for sustainable rural development (Funded by the Chinese Government).

3. Education for Sustainable Development and Rural Transformation: Part of team – a 3 year study. This is a UNESCO, Swedish Government, Chinese Government and Indian Government jointly fund project. This work is facilitated by UNESCO-INRULED.


4. Voice to text for quality feedback in marking: Single researcher – self funded

Community engagement

Member of the Board UNESCO-INRULED;  member of the Editorial Board - The International Journal of Education and Development using Information and Communication Technology        

 

Karen Sinclair

 

Post Grad qualifications

M.Ed.Studs (Northern Territory University)

Graduate Diploma (Religious Education) University of South Australia

Research interests

Children’s constructions of schooling
education success
identity
literacy
inclusive pedagogies
learning design
curriculum
learning community
bio-ecology
school achievement
outcomes based education
social learning

Current research

PhD

 

Dr June Slee

 

Post Grad qualifications

PhD, (Macquarie)
MA (Hons) (Canterbury University)
Post Graduate Certificate in Business Administration (University Distinction) (Massey University) 

Research interests

Assessment Policy
Juvenile Justice
Social Competencies;

Current research

Penal reform (behaviour management)

Community engagement

Supporting early development of social competencies.

Dr Gregory Smith

 

Post Grad qualifications

Grad Dip Ed (University of Queensland)
MEd(Science Education) (Queensland University of  Technology)
PhD (Queensland University of  Technology)

Research interests

Science, Science Education, Middle School curriculum and organisation, Teams and Teamwork in schools

Current research

As above  
Mentor teachers’ conceptions of pre-service teacher satisfactory performance in school placement
Developing Centres of Excellence with DET
Indigenous Teacher Aides boarder crossing journeys

Community engagement

Treasurer: Australian College of Educators
Science Teachers Association Northern Territory: Executive & National Conference
Reference Group: Centres of Excellence

Steve Thornton

 

Course Coordinator

Graduate Diploma in Teaching and Learning

Post Grad qualifications

BSc (Hons) (Adelaide Uni)
Grad Dip T (Adelaide)
PhD in progress at ANU

Research interests

Mathematics curriculum and pedagogy
algebra
discourse in school mathematics

Current research

Knowledge production and legitimation in mathematics education research
Improving numeracy outcomes for Aboriginal students

Community engagement

Australian Mathematics Trust Challenge committee
Make It Count project consultant (Aboriginal numeracy)
Numeracy work for the Australian Curriculum